Zwick, E. (Director). (2006). Blood Diamond. [Motion Picture]. Santa Monica, CA: The Bedford Falls.
Danny Archer is a smuggler looking for a single diamond to make enough money to leave Africa for good. He meets Solomon Vandy, an African diamond miner. Archer has to choose between greed and helping Vandy. In midst of a civil war for control of the diamond mines, children (including Vandy’s own son) are captured and forced to fight. This film shows how Sierra Leone was torn apart by the struggle between government soldiers and rebel forces. Archer’s life changes forever as he is given a chance to make peace with the war around him. This film is an example of how hatred and oppression can result in horrible war.
The Amnesty International companion guide for Blood Diamond provides activities and lessons designed to engage learners in discussion of issues which seem difficult and complex, such as the connection between natural resource exploitation and regional conflict. Designed to be as comprehensive and informative as possible, this guide can be used in its entirety as an in-depth unit of study or individual lessons can stand alone as learning extensions after watching the film. An alternative to showing the whole film is using clips that correlate with individual lessons. For more tips on using film in educational settings, check the Amnesty International website: http://www.amnestyusa.org/education Additional resources, such as interactive maps, international documents, fact sheets, and links to actions and reports can also be found at this website.